How Soon Before The Due Date Should You Put Your Car In For It’s MOT?

We know just by the fact that your here that you like to take care of your car. 

For most of our advice, we help with the cosmetic appearance of a car. 

But we keep getting asked the same question…. 

“How Soon Before My MOT Due Date Would You Put The Car In” 

The old misconception is put it in early and you can still drive it if it fails. 

 

Since MOT records became digital this has no longer been the case. 

As soon as your car failed it goes onto the police database and leaves you open to 3 points and a fine.

 

As soon as it fails it is immediately deemed to be no longer road legal, regardless of how long the previous MOT’s validity has remaining.

 

An MOT can be carried out up to one calendar month prior to the expiry date of the existing MOT certificate, while still preserving the anniversary of the expiry date.

 

If a test is carried out a month before the due date, the MOT is effectively valid for 13 months.

Much online speculation has surrounded the subject in recent years, with many people believing booking in early is a good thing.

The government’s guidelines warn motorists that they face prosecution if they drive their car following an MOT failure – even if its previous test hasn’t expired. “If your vehicle fails the MOT: you’ll get a ‘refusal of a MOT test certificate’ from the test centre,” the DVLA website states. “It will be recorded in the MOT database.

 

You can take your vehicle away if your MOT certificate is still valid.”

However, many drivers may not be aware that a refused MOT will be recorded on the national database, potentially alerting the vehicle to the traffic police and that it is potentially unfit to drive.

 

Situations have occurred where, after undertaking an early MOT and the car failing, it has driven knowing it to be potentially dangerous and unroadworthy.

The vehicle has then been involved in an accident and having been written off.

 

The vehicle owner ended up in court with a prosecution.

A current valid certificate doesn’t make a car ‘road safe’. Serious faults flagged up by an MOT inspector and without being addressed could leave the owner seriously liable.

 

Vehicles need to meet the minimum standards of roadworthiness at all times so it is always advisable to get any repair work fixed immediately so that the vehicle is fit for the road and to avoid prosecution.

Drivers and vehicle owners should think carefully about the implications of booking an early MOT – it could end up a particularly costly exercise.